Other Activities
Table of Contents
Official Tours
The congress will be running official tours on Wednesday, Aug. 3rd. You sign up for these during registration.
For an overview, go to Official Tours.
Informal Tours
These are casual tours run by congress volunteers on Wednesday, Aug. 3rd.
Hiking
- Where: meet outside the YMCA cafeteria
- Time: leave at 9:00am – return at 4:00pm (7 hours total)
Get together with fellow hikers and find a nice trail in the area to hike.
Contact: Bo Hessburg
(A $15 fee/person may be necessary to acquire a Timed-Entry permit from the park system.)
The YMCA also has a Guided Hiking Program .
Rock Climbing
- Where: meet outside the YMCA cafeteria
- Time: leave at 9:00am – return at 4:00pm (7 hours total)
Join up with fellow rock climbers and find a challenging mountain in the area to climb.
Contact: Dan Ritter
Brewery Tour
- Where: meet outside the YMCA cafeteria
- Time: leave at 1:00pm – return at 5:00pm (4 hours total)
Flock together with fans of local craft beer and visit some breweries around Estes Park. Be sure to bring some Go sets with you.
Contact: Carol Seger
Self-Service Tours
These are tours that you sign-up for and manage yourself. The congress will be running a shuttle service all day Wednesday from the YMCA to town to help you reach tour departure locations.
River Rafting - Upper Colorado - Half Day
- Where: Shuttle pickup from town, 1.5 hour drive to put-in
- Time: leave at 9:30am – return at 5:30pm (8 hours total)
Half-day trip is on the Cache La Poudre River (which is Colorado’s ONLY designated “wild and scenic” river!) It’s almost continuous class 2 and 3 rapids with very little float time. It spends about 1.5 - 2.0 hours on the river depending on conditions. There are currently 50 slots available for each of the three trips on Wed Aug 3rd.
River Rafting - Upper Colorado - Full Day
- Where: Shuttle pickup from town, 1.5 hour drive to put-in
- Time: leave at 6:45am – return at 6:00pm (15 hours total)
There is a mix of class 2 and 3 rapids and a lot of float time. It spends about 4-5 hours on the river depending on conditions. The drive there goes over Trail Ridge Road, so people can experience that (through the window) on the way. Lunch is included. There are currently 48 slots available for Wed Aug 3rd.
Make your reservation online, or call (970) 577-RAFT
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is directly adjacent to Estes Park, CO and is full of natural wonders and vistas. During the summer months, it is also quite full of people.
If you decide to visit the park outside of one of the congress’s off-day tours, please be aware that traffic can be very congested during peak times. If you visit by car, you will need to have a Timed Entry Reservation in addition to a normal park pass. The reservation is free to make, but there is a $2 online processing fee.
For an alternate way to visit, use the park’s shuttle service from various pick-up points around town.
Other Ideas
The congress will be running a shuttle service all day Wednesday from the YMCA to various points around town. Get off at any stop, stay as long as you wish.
Near town:
* Fun City and Adventure Park. Lots of rides and activities for kids.
* Shopping, restaurants, and a movie theater
* Go carts
Lake Estes:
* Marina with paddle boats and kayaks
* Walk or bike ride around the lake
* Fishing
* Golf course
Activities at the YMCA (Too many to list here)
Drive to Central City, CO (1.5 hours) for a day of gambling.
Drive to Ft. Collins, CO (1 hour) to visit Historic Old Town and the craft breweries.
Drive to Denver, CO (1.5 hours) to attend the zoo, natural history museum, aquarium, Meow Wolf immersive experience, or enjoy one of the “must-try” restaurants in the area.
Clockwise from top-left: Fun City, Adventure Park, kayaking on Lake Estes, shoreline path.
